


Do You Mind the Snow?

by superlocked221b



Category: Daredevil (TV)
Genre: Christmas, F/M, Fluff, I feel like that last scene happened on Xmas eve so there's that in here, Identity Reveal, My First Fanfic, Post-Season/Series 02, my mind ran away, spoilers for end of season 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-19
Updated: 2016-04-19
Packaged: 2018-06-03 04:17:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,452
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6596377
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/superlocked221b/pseuds/superlocked221b
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matt reveals his secret to Karen. She reacts better than expected. They go talk it out at Matt's apartment.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Do You Mind the Snow?

**Author's Note:**

> Soooo yeah. First fanfic. Procrastination of a 25pg paper and watching this cracktastic show will do that I guess. Might add more if my brain runs away again.

“I’m Daredevil.”

Karen stares at Matt for what seemed like a small forever. He can’t possibly be serious. But he has Daredevil’s mask. And is covered in bruises. But he’s  _ Matt _ . Good, kind, brooding, brilliant,  _ blind _ , Matt. Karen tries to find the words for her disbelief but ends up sounding like an asshole.

“How, Matt? Just.. how? You’re you!  _ Blind you! _ How the hell could  _ you _ be Daredevil?”

“Going blind… enhanced all my other senses. I’m blind, but I can see in other ways.” Matt doesn’t look annoyed or offended by her, just tired and wary.  _ Disbelief, not anger. That’s a good start _ , Matt thinks hopefully.

“But I’ve seen Daredevil fight, Matt. It’s not possible that he’s blind.” She crosses to the other side of her desk and sits down heavily in her chair.

Matt sighs, “Something with my accident made my senses stronger. Maybe the radioactivity of the chemicals in my eyes, the shock, I don’t know. Either way, I know things from my senses. I can feel changes in the air, currents, temperature. I can hear heartbeats and breaths. Smell and taste blood and sweat on the air. I can locate and see things through other senses. I can anticipate people’s actions in a fight and react before they can act.” Matt puts the mask back in its paper bag and walks to set it on her desk. He walks around to her side of the desk and leans on its edge. Without feeling around for anything, sure of his movements.

_ That’s new… _

“But why would you become Daredevil? Even with those super senses, you’re not invincible. You obviously get hurt and bleed like everyone else.” Karen gestures to his face. “Why  _ you _ ?”

“Because I want to protect people, because I  _ can _ protect people. You’ve seen him,  _ me _ , fight, Karen. You know I make a difference for people in this city.” Matt pauses, looking determined to get his point across. “I’ve saved lives. I’ve saved  _ your _ life. All those people who were kidnapped with you on that bus were people I’ve saved before. If I hadn’t been there they would’ve gotten hurt or died awhile ago.”

“I get that, I do. I’ve understood the need for Daredevil, for vigilantes but… I guess it feels different knowing that it’s  _ you _ , Matt,  _ my Matt _ .” Karen pauses and looks away, embarrassed and blushing for realizing what she’s said.

“Your Matt?” He looks hopefully at her,  _ directly _ at her, from behind his glasses with that little knowing smirk of his.  _ Oh God. Is that what the smirk is for? Can he feel me blushing or my heart rate or something? This whole time? Crap! _

Karen studies her shoes. “Well, yeah… I mean, you… and Foggy weren’t just my bosses, you’re my family.” She peers up at him through her lashes, seeing his smirk change to a small smile that fades as soon as it appears.

“I’m sorry things ended like they did, with the firm and us.” Matt signs, looking guilty. “There was just so much going on in both sides of my life, I just couldn’t balance them anymore. I wanted to help Frank and keep the city safe, but there’s only so much I can do without slacking off on one duty.”

Karen doesn’t respond for a moment and Matt is pretty sure even someone with normal hearing could hear the cogs turning in her head. The pieces fall into place as Karen looks back at the last year. All the times Daredevil has been there in the nick of time, the times Matt was injured from being “clumsy” after reports of Daredevil taking out criminals. Foggy claiming Matt had a drinking problem when he was absent from work even though she had only ever seen him have a few beers before. His car accident and Foggy and him fighting so much more afterward. Just a few days ago when Daredevil singled her out in a crowd of kidnap victims, making sure she was safe before running off.   _ All those times, it was Matt. Saving people. Keeping us safe.  _

“It’s okay, Matt. I know you and it never made sense that you were neglecting work, but this makes it all make sense now. You can’t let people hurt just like I can’t let people’s stories be buried. I just wish you could’ve trusted me sooner.” Karen looks at him ruefully. 

“No, no, Karen, it's not that I didn’t trust you. Of course, I did, I  _ do _ , but with everything going on you wouldn't have had the time to get the proper explanation you deserve.” Matt pauses, taking off his glasses and placing them in his pocket. “Remember when Foggy was pissed at me for no reason during the Fisk case? He had found me in my suit in my apartment and had to help patch me up after a fight. I didn’t get to tell him in the right way and he’s still mad that he had to find out like that. I didn’t want that to happen with you and I needed to do it the right way this time. You’re too important to me not to.” He stared directly at her in that unnerving way of his as she blushed at his words. _ And there I go blushing again. Double crap. _

“I… thank you. That means a lot. I’m glad you trust me this much. But why now? We’re not working together anymore so you won’t need to explain yourself all the time.” Karen tried not to let her disappointment at this show in her voice.

“I know, I know and I’m sorry for that, Karen, but you’re still one of my best friends and I would like to keep you in my life even if we don’t work together. Foggy and I need to work through some disagreements about this stuff,” Matt gestures next to him at the paper bag with his mask in it as he continues, “but I was hoping you and I could still be friends. I just don’t want to keep lying to you after all that’s happened.” He has his hands at both his sides resting on the desk as he leans on it. He fiddles with the edge of his coat with one hand and is looking towards it. He looks vulnerable, like a teenager asking to be friends with a girl he likes, instead of his usual stoic self.

Karen takes a deep breath and stands up from her old office chair. She closes the space between them, hugging him gently, careful of his wounds. She rests her head on his shoulder as his arms come to rest around her middle and he brushes a light kiss in her hair. She can feel his warmth through his winter coat and sweater and she closes her eyes as she lets out a sigh of relief. Matt hugs her closer, feeling as much as hearing her breath hitch a little at his touch and gentle kiss.

“Thank you,” she breathes into his neck.

“Thank you for understanding. It means more than you know.” He sighs, looking towards her face again with a small smile. It doesn’t quite reach his endearing little eye crinkles but Karen thinks his bruises would probably hurt if it did. “There’s a bit more I’d like to explain if you’re willing to talk for awhile.” Karen contemplates this for a moment, looking around their empty office space before replying.

“I’d like to hear everything, but the office isn’t exactly the best place to talk anymore. We could walk somewhere close or take a cab?” Matt’s following smile is full of eye crinkles this time and those are just as contagious to Karen as yawning is to anyone.

“We could get take-out and head to my apartment? It’s the most private place to talk that I can think of and I can bring you home when we’re done.” He sounds hopeful, again like the unsure teenager and Karen can’t resist the offer. She nods and a question pops into her head.

“I just nodded. Can you… see that? Or feel it?”

“Yeah, I can feel it when someone’s this close but normally their hair will move and make noise or something and I can tell. If I’m not paying attention then I can’t tell, though.” Matt brushes a lock of her hair back from her face and his mouth forms a small smile. Karen smiles back and fights to keep her heartbeat under control at that smile.

“We should probably get going, I guess.” She brings her hands to his chest and then leaves his arms gently to collect her coat from the back of her chair as he puts his glasses on. She picks up the paper bag and feels the mask inside as they walk to the door. She offers him her free arm out of habit and begins to put it down realizes he doesn’t actually need it. He takes it anyway, easily finds his folded cane on the chair by the door where he left it only a short time ago, though to them both it feels like hours.

As they exit the building, they find it’s just starting to get dark on Christmas Eve and the light snow from earlier continues to fall. 

“Do you mind the snow?” Karen smiles, remembering that summer night in the rain.

Matt smiles at her, “No”.

“Then I’ll walk you home.” Both their smiles grow as Karen puts her hand over his on her elbow and starts walking towards their favorite Indian take-out place for food at any time work called for it. Matt can feel the cold flakes on his skin, hears the whisper of the flakes as they fall, landing in Karen’s hair and eyelashes as they walk. 

Shops are busy with last minute shoppers on their way to get food. They pass by people carry armloads full of presents, but Karen barely has to lead Matt through the small crowds they pass. Now knowing he can fend for himself, she is reluctant to drag him along, but he still grips her arm lightly and she understands that they should keep up appearances. After all, he is still blind to everyone else in Hell’s Kitchen, even if she knows he can see for himself. Which he still needs to explain to her in more detail when they get to his place.

Karen keeps a running list of questions that pop into her head during their walk, waiting with ever narrowing patience for the safety of Matt’s apartment to assault him. With questions. Only questions will be thrown into Matt’s lap.

When they are safely inside his apartment, Karen watches Matt transform from his usual self to someone completely new to her. He throws his keys into their usual place effortlessly, sets his folded cane down next to them, hangs up his coat, and walks with their take-out straight to the kitchen where he gets glasses out for them. He is perfectly at ease and confident in his movements, not having to fumble around for anything. Karen watches in amazement as she settles on his couch and tries to remember all her questions.

“Why would you hide it? The abilities themselves, I mean. It has to be annoying to always act less capable than you are.”

Matt looks thoughtful for a moment while he gets out silverware for them both. “I don’t think anyone’s asked me that before. I didn’t really have control over them at first and after my dad died it got even harder to handle them. This old blind guy, Stick, found me in the nunnery they had sent me to and taught me how to control my senses. He explained that if I used them right I could live a normal life, but that I should keep the skills secret so people would underestimate me.”

“So, playing up the blind card basically?”

“Pretty much. Stick is kind of an ass so it makes sense that he would use people’s pity like that. I try not to do it often, but whenever I get caught somewhere it usually gives me an out.” Matt carries over their take-out and signals for her to take what she wants first. He sits on the edge of the couch, close to the coffee table and their food but facing her. “You’ve met Stick, by the way. When you stopped by the night before Frank took the stand. Sorry, by the way.”

Karen takes a bite of curry and thinks while he talks. “Yeah, I felt like I was interrupting something between you and whoever they were. There was so much going on with Foggy and Frank’s trial that I was mad with you already and that didn’t help much.” She looks at him hoping he will explain without her asking.

“I’m sorry, Karen. There was no way to explain who they were without telling you about Daredevil and I didn’t want to distract from Frank’s trial by telling you.” He pauses in his portioning of his own food and looks at her apologetically. “Stick and his other old student, Elektra, needed my help fighting a Japanese organization that wanted to use Elektra to take over New York. Long story short, she was injured and we brought her here to recover.” Karen listens intently but looks away guiltily when he mentions Elektra’s injuries.

“Now I’m sorry, I assumed the worst when I saw them, saw her in your bed… I thought you might have lost interest in me or something... ” Karen trailed off, feeling worse. Matt puts a comforting hand on her shoulder, rubbing his thumb back and forth gently.

“No, no, nothing like that, Karen, but I understand thinking that. And she and I did, um… date in college, so I don’t blame you for being jealous or anything.” Matt pauses and hears Karen’s heart rate slow down a bit at his words. He sighs, removing his hand, and continues, “It didn’t end well then and it ended, uh… ended worse this time around. She was killed by the Japanese in the fight on the roof the night you were kidnapped. We were both injured and Frank was the only one who stopped them from killing me too.”

Karen hears the sadness in his voice at this and sees lines of guilt etched in his face behind the glasses he still wears. She puts down her food and takes one of his hands in hers, stroking the scars she finds on his knuckles.

“Thank you for telling me that. I know it’s hard losing someone you’re close to.” She looks directly into his eyes through his glasses and he looks at her face, further down then her eyes, but as close as he has ever gotten to meeting her gaze. She realizes it’s a bit unnerving now, knowing he can see her without his eyes.

“It’s okay. I hadn’t seen her in ten years, but, uh, everything from college came rushing back. I didn’t know she worked for Stick back then and he was using her to get to me, apparently. She was the only one back then who knew this side of me, who could be involved in both my worlds.” He exhales deeply like he’s been holding in a breath for years. Looking down at his hand in hers, he brings his other hand to hers and strokes both of her palms, feeling her pulse through her skin. He doesn’t look up as he continues, “We weren’t together before she, uh… before… but it was nice being myself again, free from hiding. Other than at night, as Daredevil, I can’t be who I am. It’s something I need, and I could be it with her.”

Karen looks at her hands in his, considering Matt’s words. “I think I get that. Before coming to New York, I never felt like I belonged in Vermont. It was such a small town,” Karen pauses, smiling, “even with the very ethnic French fries.” Matt smiles back, eyes crinkling a little at her joke as she continues. “I could see my whole life there, mapped out and predictable just like everyone who stayed there. But I knew any life there for me wouldn’t have a purpose.”

“Working with Foggy and I was a purpose, we helped people.”

“Exactly. And now, working at the  _ Bulletin _ , I can still help people, just differently. Just like you help people…  _ differently _ ?” Karen shrugs, feeling strange talking about his night activities like they’re just part of his job.  _ Which they are, in a way. _

Matt laughs gently, “That’s a fair way to describe it, I guess.” He pauses and sobers up a bit, taking his hands away from Karen’s and going back to his food. “I have the purpose of helping people as a lawyer and as him, but when the law is corrupted I can still make a difference for those who fall through the cracks in the law, just in a different suit.”

Karen thinks about this, pushing her food around with her fork and eventually taking a bite before replying, “So it's kind of a back-up to help people who can’t help themselves.”

“Basically. And I can stop people in the act, before they can get away with crimes and before things can get covered up. It’s not exactly legal, but it does make a difference.” Matt continues eating, listening for Karen’s reaction in her heartbeat and breathing.  _ How is she so calm about all of this? Would Foggy have taken it all this well had I told him? _

Karen nods at this, thinking it all over in her head. “That makes sense. Just… remember when we were arguing over Frank’s methods versus Daredevil’s?” Matt lifts an eyebrow at this and Karen blushes a bit more as she continues. “Right. Of course you remember, we were talking about you the whole time. Anyway, um… I said that I didn’t know if I believed in his methods, his killing people. That I was wondering about the effectiveness of saving people  instead of keeping them from needing saving. Now that I’m talking to you, to Daredevil, not just you, unassuming Matt Murdock… what do you think?”

Matt takes a deep breath. He knew she was going to ask the tough questions at some point. “Like I said before, you’re asking a Catholic lawyer. I know you must think my views as Matt the lawyer are different than mine as Daredevil, but I think the same way as both. First and foremost, I have never killed anyone, Karen. I have been close a few times, but I’ve always found another way. I know Frank’s methods might be more effective in the moment, to stop people from becoming victims, but in the long run, I believe in the law. Like I said, no one has the right to kill people without them facing a judge or jury. “

Karen looks away from Matt as the weight of this settles on her. She feels relief at knowing he’s never killed. That was the one thing she couldn’t believe Matt would ever do. He was just too good to do that.  _ Unlike me… _ The thought comes unbidden to Karen and she feels the shame and guilt of shooting a man in cold blood fill her again.

“But… what if someone is threatening the people you love? Like if Foggy was kidnapped. Or… or when I was. What about then? Would you kill someone?” Karen asks nervously. Matt hears her heart rate pick up and he can smell her stress.

“Karen, you don’t have to be afraid.” Matt reaches out and grabs her hand again, trying to soothe her nerves. “I would never kill unless it was the only way to save someone. Even then, I would hesitate. I  _ have _ hesitated. But yeah… I think, if it was the only option to save someone I loved, I think I would have to. I don’t think even I’m strong enough to let someone die like that.”

Karen breathes a visible sigh of relief. She extricates her hand from Matt’s and takes a long sip of water. When she’s done, she smiles a bit guiltily down at her unfinished food. “That probably shouldn’t comfort me, but somehow it does.”

“I know I haven’t exactly been available recently with everything going on, but I’m still here, Karen. I still care about you.” Matt looks at her seriously, studying her reactions. “You can tell me anything.”

Karen looks at him regretfully. “I know, I know. I just… don’t want to change how you see me. Especially after this conversation.”

“There’s not much that will change the way I feel about you, Karen. I don’t think whatever your secrets are could change that. I trust you and hate lying to you, and, I, um… didn’t want to lose you after we broke up the firm. I didn't know how to explain to you what happened. I still don't know how, or if,  you and I could recover from this. I don't know if we have a future.” He pauses, breathing deeply before continuing. “But what I do know, is that the only chance we have is if you know the whole truth – if you know everything, if there are no more secrets. And this is my secret. This is who I am."

“Thank you. For everything.” Karen looks away again, studying her food. She chooses not to say much for fear of blurting out her sins and feelings. She thinks back to the moment he told her in their old office. She smiles, remembering how she thought he was giving her a Christmas present, not telling her he is a vigilante. She continues eating, playing with her cooling curry as she says, “You know, I think this is the best Christmas gift you could have given me.”

Matt smiles. “I’m glad you’re fine with this, it’s not as if I can return myself to the store for a less noble  and secretive model.”

“Hmm… I think I like this model just fine…” Karen smiles shyly at him before starting a new line of conversation in hopes he won’t look into her meaning too much. “Knowing, now, it all makes sense, I know you care about Foggy and I and would never hurt us on purpose, but the lies were starting to. I get it that they were necessary, but I wish I could’ve been there for you. Oh, and whose idea was it to tell people you had a drinking problem? I’ve only ever seen you have a few beers or glasses of wine so that made no sense.”

Matt smiles and leans back against the couch, resting his arm along the back of it, having finished his food. “Foggy needed an excuse for why I was always late or injured. Apparently that was the best he could come up with and he was already mad at me which didn’t help.” Matt frowns a little at the memory of that conversation with Foggy. 

“Yeah, I can see him saying that, especially if he was mad at you.” She smiles, remembering how Foggy has never been shy about taking the piss out of Matt.

Karen finishes her food in between asking her other questions. Matt answers all that he can, trying to inform her without freaking her out too much. At some point Karen curls up on his couch, facing him, her folded legs resting against his thigh. Matt eventually realizes it’s passed midnight and urges her to take his bed for the night. He needs to do a quick patrol before he turns in himself but doesn’t want to let her go home unprotected while he works.

“I know you live close, but I’d still like to know you’re safe tonight, especially when you have so much to think about.” Matt realizes he has his hand rested on her calf and has been brushing her skin with his thumb for a while. He takes his hand away, not wanting her to think he has other motivations for having her stay the night. He gets up to change into his suit.

“It’s fine. I don’t really feel like going home anyways. It’s probably gotten colder out.” Karen folds her arms around herself, remembering the earlier snow and feeling colder now that Matt has left the couch.

Matt takes out his suit from his dad’s trunk, putting it on in his bathroom before retrieving his mask from the bag he left on the table in his dining room. Karen watches him in fascination, finally seeing the suit in good lighting. Well. As good as the lighting of a blind man’s apartment can be, she supposes.  Seeing him as Daredevil without the mask shocks her and her breathing and heart rate increase as she remembers all the times she's been close to him when he's saved her. 

“Where did you get that thing, anyway?” Karen’s curiosity gets the better of her and she walks over to where he stands in the middle of his apartment. She reaches out, brushing her fingers over the textured fabric and plates of armor. She pauses when she finds the bullet hole from just a few nights ago, looking at his face for any hint of pain around the site of the hole.

“Fisk had someone making him suits out of this material. It’s resistant to all sorts of weapons. I helped the man making the suits get out of Fisk’s web and in return he’s become my... outfitter, of sorts. It’s even stopped one of Frank’s bullets.” He strategically leaves out the details of that night.

“I guess it’s good that you have some protection.” Karen’s worry fails to conceal her fear from Matt’s hearing. He takes her hand that still hovers over the bullet hole and flattens it against his heart.

“I know the risks of what I do, Karen. I’m not afraid to get hurt or to die, but I sure as hell try to avoid it. Sometimes it’s impossible to leave a fight unscathed, but most of the time I only leave with a few bruises.” He pauses, allowing her a moment to respond.

“But I’ve seen you seriously hurt. You’ve missed days of work before and when you came back you’d wince at every movement like you were injured. I never believed your falling excuses but never could have imagined this was the real reason.” She reaches her hand to his face and strokes the bruises she finds there. Without his glasses, she can see the dark marks and small cuts around his eyes in gory purple detail.

“I’ve only ever been outmatched by some of Fisk’s men and one of the Japanese from the other night. On nights like tonight, which happen more frequently than not, I am perfectly safe. The bruises and scrapes don’t bother me much, Murdocks can take a punch.”

“It’s not the punches that worry me, Matt.” Karen leans against him, letting him feel the fear that makes her blood pump heavier. He wraps his arms around her, stroking her hair, comforting her even as he knows he has to leave her to face what she fears.

“It’s Christmas Eve, there shouldn’t be much going on tonight. I'll be back soon.” Matt pulls away a fraction, laying a kiss on her head, then disentangles himself from her and walks to the stairs to his roof. “There’s some old clothes in the bottom of my dresser if you want to change. If you want to sleep, take the bed. I don’t mind the couch.”

She watches as he quickly and gracefully ascends to the roof, shutting the door behind himself. She paces for a moment before going to find a change of clothes. She changes into an old Columbia shirt and shorts and contemplates taking his bed for the night. She notices the silk sheets have been changed from the last time she was here, when she had seen Matt tending to Elektra there. She passes on the bed and goes to lie on his couch to wait until his return, reflecting on the dual identities of the man whose couch she lies on.

Meanwhile, Matt stands on the edge of the roof, listening  to screams and gunshots. He feels lighter than he has in a while, the weight and worry of his burdens lessened for a time. He hears a shot a few blocks away and launches himself from one roof to the next until he quietly jumps down behind a man pointing a gun at a couple on their way home from a Christmas party. 

The pair shakes, their fear audible in their rushing blood and the constant rustling of their coats against the bricks they’ve been backed up to. The woman’s gasp is audible even to the man with the gun who holds his arm out for her jewelry and purse. Daredevil purposefully knocks one of his sticks against a dumpster. The mugger spins around with his gun held in front of him, enabling Daredevil to throw one of his  escrima sticks at his outstretched hand. The gun falls to the ground with a clatter, as the man lets out a grunt and shakes his injured hand.

Daredevil catches the man in his shoulder with a roundhouse kick that knocks him off his feet. The man tries to recover and crawl to his gun, but Daredevil kicks it towards the other side of the alley. He steps on the man’s arm, applying enough pressure to make his bones creak but not enough to break the arm. He turns his head back to the couple huddled on the other side of the alley and orders them in a deeper voice than his usual to run.

As they head his order, he pulls the man up by the collar of his leather jacket and throws him against a wall. Daredevil lands a few punches, warns the perp to not try this again or he will break more than an arm next time. He lands one final blow to the shoulder he kicked earlier, doubling the man over in pain as the man in the mask launches himself onto a fire escape and onto the roof above.

Daredevil goes to the edge of another roof and repeats this cycle until there are no more sounds of distress in Hell’s Kitchen for more than half an hour. He makes his way back to his apartment, feeling the time on his watch and finding it almost 2:30am. He stops at the roof door to his place, hearing for Karen inside. He hears the slow, rhythmic beat of her heart and breath from inside, locating her sleeping form on his couch easily.

Matt enters his apartment and quietly puts away his suit before changing into one of his old t-shirts and boxers. He monitors Karen’s breathing the whole time, noting subtle changes in her sleep every few minutes. As he makes his way back to his living room, he notices a restlessness that comes with these changes. He can feel where she lays, the warmth of her skin showing him where her limbs rest along the length of the sofa. Her hair whispers around her face as her breath moves the light strands, giving Matt a view of her exhausted expression that remains even in sleep.

The only thing that he can think of that would disturb her like this would be a change in the lighting from the billboard outside his windows. Knowing the stress she has been through recently and what she has learned tonight, he decides to bring her into his room for the night. Matt carefully lifts her around her back and under her legs and gently carries her to his room. Karen signs and grips his shirt in her sleep as he carries her, burying her face in the fabric near his shoulder. As he places her in the middle of his bed, she grips his shirt tighter, dragging him back down to her by the fabric.

Matt attempts to extricate his shirt from her clutches, eliciting an increase in Karen’s heart rate as she begins to wake up from the disturbance. Putting her need for sleep over his Catholic upbringing, Matt, begrudging but gentle in his movements, climbs into bed next to Karen. He settles the length of his body as far as possible from her sleeping form to avoid touching her in his sleep, even while she grips his shirt to her chest with both hands. He carefully covers them both in his duvet and feels her move closer to his warmth in her sleep. 

Matt freezes as she rests her head just inches down from his on the pillows, letting go of her grip on his shirt to settle one arm around his waist. Seeing no escape from her proximity without waking her, he curses himself for letting this happen so soon after telling her his secrets. He already feels guilty for not having her consent to sleep in the same bed with her, but she dragged him down. Matt resigns himself to his fate of an awkward morning after but gives in to his long-buried need for human contact.  _ I’m probably going to Hell anyway, might as well enjoy life while it lasts _ . 

He gives in, wrapping one arm gently around her waist and burying his face in the hair at the top of her head. He breathes in her scent, relaxing and closing his unseeing eyes as he begins to drift to sleep. As he does, he hears Karen sigh in her sleep, breathing out his name as she dreams.

 

~*~ 

 

Karen wakes slowly and smiles in the way only possible when someone is truly comfortable after a long night’s sleep. She feels warm and content where she lays and cuddles deeper into that warmth. She relaxes into the bed as her brain comes back online after sleeping so deeply. She remembers back to yesterday, the satisfaction of writing a good article on heros in Hell’s Kitchen, her anxiety after Matt called and asked her to meet him. 

Karen freezes at this thought, remembering after that, after he revealed himself to her. He spread his life, his secrets, before her and asked her acceptance and forgiveness for his lies. At this, she remembers the rest of the night, their discussion over curry, seeing him in his suit, and laying down to think about the ramifications of her new insights into the enigma of Matthew Murdock. Laying down on his couch. Where she was decidedly  _ not _ laying right now.

She begins to take a firmer hold on her surroundings: silken sheets, pillows, a comfortable mattress, muted daylight streaming in from shades, a source of warmth next to her. Karen looks around for the source of this warmth, taking in the sight of a bedraggled Matt Murdock, aka Daredevil, sleeping next to her in his own bed.

His sleeping form showed none of the lines of tension she was so used to seeing in his body. There instead she saw an average man sleeping soundly and peacefully, free of the worries of the waking world. As she takes in his sleeping face, still bruised from his fight on the roof just a few nights before, she finds she can’t resist brushing her fingers gently over his jawline. His hair is mussed from sleep and the side of his face half-buried in his pillows reflects the creases of their fabric. His butterfly bandage has started to peel at the edges and she smooths it over, gentle of the cuts and bruises that adorn his handsome face.

Karen pauses in her movements, slowing taking her hand away as she sees Matt’s eyes crinkle with the fight to remain asleep. As she watches, he pulls her tighter to him in his half-wakefulness, seeking her warmth just as she did his. He smiles and her breath hitches at the sight.

Matt smiles, feeling perfectly content and at peace. Having just slept for the longest time in months, other than when injured, Matt feels amazingly well-rested. His peace is broken, however, when he hears and feels a distinct heartbeat next to his and the hitch of breath against him. His senses take hold of the smells and sounds of the person next to him and provide the answer before his mind can provide the name for the woman he holds against his chest.  _ Karen _ .

Matt slowly opens his eyes and looks into her face, succeeding easily at this usually difficult task because of their close proximity. He can feel her strong and steady heartbeat inches from his, her pulse quicker than usual against his skin where they touch. He can feel the ghost of her touch against his face and realizes she must have woken before him. His pulse quickens at the memory of the night before, revealing himself to her and carrying her to bed after she fell asleep on his couch. He feels her intake of breath before she speaks.

“Good morning,” Karen says quietly, trying not to disturb the peace of the moment too much. She leans back, away from Matt a little to get a better view of his face. Before he can stop himself, Matt pulls her back to his chest and buries his face in her hair, not wanting to ruin the moment.

“ _ Karen _ ,” he whispers intently into her hair, kissing her head gently. She gasps softly at his grip on her but doesn’t move away. Instead, she cuddles closer to him, moving her face to his and kissing his lips gently.

She brings her hand to his face again and brushes over his jaw and neck before trailing her hand into his hair. Matt responds to her kiss, to her touch, and deepens the kiss, feeling Karen relax against him. He trails his hand from where it rests at her waist along her back to lay it against her neck, his thumb brushing her jaw as his long fingers feel her pulse quicken under her skin. 

They kiss lazily for some time, neither wishing to end the kiss but not wanting to go any further. They both are reluctant to leave the bed, to leave the comfort of each other's arms, but know they will have to at some point. They are both a little breathless and are smiling more than a little when Matt breaks the kiss. He rests his forehead against hers, breathing in the scent of her as they both catch their breaths. 

Karen eventually pulls away and looks into his face before whispering, “Merry Christmas, Matt.”


End file.
